Florida governor signs boat titling bill into law

June 11, 2019

Last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law the Uniform Certificate of Title Act (HB 475/S 676) – a top recreational boating industry priority. NMMA and its industry partners actively advocated in favor of the legislation, calling titling a vital tool in the effort to protect consumers from buying damaged, destroyed, or stolen boats.

Similar to how Carfax identifies if a car has been in an accident and who the rightful owner is, the improvements to titles created by Florida’s law add significant consumer protection, helping boaters avoid unwittingly purchasing a stolen or previously damaged vessel. Additionally, titles create more confidence in the marketplace, leading to more reasonable financing options for boat owners. Plus, the new law helps protect all dealers – including the small, family-owned businesses – from being saddled with an unsellable craft.

Securing vessel titling laws in all 50 states is a main focus of NMMA’s advocacy efforts, particularly in top boating states such as Florida.